I recently went over 1000 miles round trip to look at a boat that was called "turnkey, ready for cruising" in the ad, and yet when I got there it was anything but, and when I confronted the owner with the obvious defects he called me a tire kicker, I wanted to kick him in the tires. I was soooo angry, but it is part of the process and I was also able to visit some friends. Next time I will have the seller take a video camera on board.

Maybe we should formulate a list of standard questions to ask any boat seller that could provide a potential scoring grade to eliminate boats you'll waste your time on.

I'm thinking of questions along the lines of:

Which marinas in your area charge the lowest price per foot for hauling out and pressure washing?

What is the current compression reading for each cylinder of your auxillary engine?

Can you provide receipts for the last time you had your fuel polished?

What is the manufacturer, model number, and serial number of the last piece of electronics that you upgraded?

How many gallons of anti-fouling paint did you buy last time you had your boat hauled out, what brand of paint was it, and how much did you spend per gallon?

Name 3 pieces of standing rigging you replaced in the last 5 years.

At the very least it might separate the owners who are actively involved in upkeep on their boats from the ones who are letting their boats die a slow, painful death.